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suboxone withdrawal??

hello, i've been on and off suboxone for about two years...started with oxycontin which lead to smoking heroin and some suboxone use scattered in between. i was never really serious about quitting pills/H until the beginning of this year so i went to a doc and got a prescription for subs. i've been taking them for the last few months and recently decided not to refill my script. so, i tapered down to a nibble a day and was doing that for a couple weeks...maybe i thought that since i dealt with heroin withdrawal, suboxone detox would be a walk in the park. i'm just a little confused about what's going on with my body right now...i took my last piece sunday night and was feeling a little funky monday and tuesday but nothing unbearable. then tuesday night i took a benadryl to help me sleep and i woke up at about 2am covered in sweat and goosebumps etc. i spent the last 2 days in the bathroom and i can't figure out why it would take so long for the withdrawals to kick in...i'm wondering if maybe i caught a bug. i've done some research and i understand that buprenorphine is a long lasting opiate but it seems strange that i was taking so little and still experienced such intense discomfort. today is better...i feel horribly depressed but i know that i'll be fine in the next few days. it's just rough.

Suboxone has a long half-life, that is why it has taken so long to hit you, so to speak. I know it is rough, I have been through withdrawal many times, but it is worth it. If you can stick with it.

Go to the top of this page an on the right are the health pages. In there you will find the Amino Acid Protocol and The Thomas Recipe. These both contain supplements that will help ease the withdrawal. In addition, take as many hot baths as you can to ease those aching muscles. Stay hydrated and try and keep some food down. It is important to stay as healthy as you can during this time. Exercise is also a good one. Even if it is only a brief walk, it will help.

Stay positive and stay focused. You CAN do this. We can talk about aftercare in a few days, for now, get through the physical.

Keep posting here. It helps to talk with people who are just like you.

Suboxone can be quite tha animal to come off of depending on how you look at it.

I am on Day 18 off of sub, my last dose was 3mgs!

My own experience, wasnt pleasant but its totally manageable. I had all the symptoms, but still got out of bed everyday, ran errands, made dinner for my family... some days felt like I had to sell my soul to the devil himself to get that stuff done, but it was purely mental.

Suboxone has a half life of 36 to 37hrs, which means whatever dose you took today, half of it is still in your system 36 hrs later. This is a double edged sword, as it is what makes sub such a great recovery tool, but also makes it lenghty to come off of.

For me personally, my symptoms peaked at days 6 and 7, you just have to keep on truckin through this. By day 10 it was time for me to go back to work. I was terrified as I am an International Flight Attendant, and the fear of going overseas for 14 days without my meds was terrifying! But here I am, 18 days later and doing just fine.

The most of the wds are gone, but I have a few lingerers that are sticking around. I get cramping legs at night, but hot baths resolve this. And the lack of sleep. For the past 18 days I have been getting 2-3 hrs of sleep, with a night or two of 6-7hrs here and there. While this is annoying, it wont kill me.

Get some vitamins, a multi vitamin in the am helps a lot in the long run. Calcium with chelated magnesium helps with the RLS at night, along with hylands restful legs (Found at walmart) Melatonin and valerian root can help with the sleep, but there were a few nights I used my rescue dose of xanax from my doc. Immodium for the runs, as that part seems to linger too. And a good protein shake mix with amino acids.

For the fatigue, a quality B complex vitamin can help, along with L-tyrosine.

It seems like it lasts forever, but even if it did, I would be greatful of where I am today. Dont fear the sub wd's while not fun, they are nothing like coming off our DOC's.

Keep posting here for support, it makes those long sleepless nights seem not so bad.

thank you so very much. im so glad i found this forum...it has been difficult at home because my boyfriend doesnt understand what im going through. he seems to be fairly annoyed with me and i think that he feels like maybe im exaggerating a bit. ive been feeling quite a bit better today though. still getting the chills, the runs, sneezing, restless legs when i sit down...and the damn depression that comes with withdrawal doesnt seem to be going anywhere at the moment. but, i dont feel like i want to pull my hair out anymore which is great! thanks for the support and all of the suggestions. i really, really appreciate them. henry, congratulations on your 18 days. you should be proud.

You have received some good information and advice. Unfortunately the half life of sub is long, so it takes days for the withdrawal to really kick in and much longer for it to end as well. I will be one year clean tomorrow from sub and everything else and it took a good month to start to level out after detox. Hang in there and take the advice that the others have given and you will come out of this soon. Congrats on quitting. Keep posting and get an aftercare plan working to help support your clean time.

thanks for the support!! this is day 5 so i'm hoping things continue to get better. woke up feeling like death this morning and im feeling quite a bit better now. i even ate some crackers and a banana and kept them down! im going to head to the store soon and pick up some of the things that have been suggested here. i can't tell you how much this site is helping me get through this. congrats on your year of sobriety, salsinator!!!

Relax and try and stay calm. Unfortunately the sleep cycle takes some time to reset. I went weeks without too much sleep. OTC sleep aids work a little bit. Keep hydrated and try and keep busy - keep your mind occupied so you don't focus on how good or bad you feel. You will get through this.

Thank you for your words, though I haven't written, I've been reading.

I have a question and I need your honest responses. I messed with pills for some time and the past year moved to sniffing h. Recently I used suboxone for a week to avoid hardcore h withdrawals. by the end of the week, the last two days i took less than a quarter.

today is the first day all clean and aside from depression i am okay. i realize the half life of sub means that the real wd won't kick in for another day or two. here is my dilemma. in eight days i am leaving the country for a vacation. i can't ruin the vacation for others and my traveling partners are unaware of my disease. what suggestions do you have?

despite my addictions, i am a runner...but i was always running while high. it's like i am moving to a new life now...a better one, but i will literally be out of the country the 10th day of my sobriety. i do have sleeping pills if i need them and i have xanax, though i hate it.

let me know advice. tell me how dumb i am. i should have sobered up long ago.

hi there, so i guess i can only describe my own personal experience coming off of subs...i took subs to stop using h and oxy's. ive been on suboxone and ONLY suboxone for about 5 months now. i was pretty surprised at how bad the suboxone withdrawal was...i was okay for the first two days and after about 48 hrs i went into pretty intense withdrawal. i am a tiny girl though (5", 97lbs) and i don't know if that really makes a difference but i was taking a little less than a quarter a day so our dosage is kinda close. today is day 7 and i feel SOOO much better. still a little down but i know that's normal. i'm sure the thought of flying internationally while sick is terrifying but i'm pretty sure that by day 10 for me, i'll be feeling pretty good. it's very helpful to keep yourself distracted. i found that when i tried to watch TV or just sat around, i let the withdrawals consume me. it was all i could think about. it might be a good thing to get away. get your mind off things...god it's hard. this whole process, i mean. this site is AMAZING though. everyone is so very helpful and empathetic. check out some of the suggestions that were given to me and get yourself some vitamins etc. stay strong and good luck to you!

Thanks so much. I'm definitely not quite as small as you:) I'm 5"4 and 143, but I am really healthy so I am hoping that helps. Thanks for your encouragement. Sounds like I will be able to enjoy my vacation as long as i can get through this week.

I am on lexapro so i am wondering if i should double the dose for a week or so to help with the blues. that's probably a bad idea...an addict idea.

I am going to clean my house, drink a protein shake, and make the best of this. I know that sobriety is what I want. I have so many dreams and I can't quite reach them if I'm dependant on narcotics.

Congrats on your day 7. That's incredible. I wish you luck. Thanks again.

Hi wantstobesober, Welcome to the forum. If you post your question on a new thread, you will probably get more responses.

Depending on how much H you were doing, you might be good. If you were only taking 1/4 sub, that is a very low dose and if you were only on it for a few days, then the withdrawal should be minimal if non-existent. See how you feel and go with it.

I would not recommend doubling the lexapro - that is an antidepressant and works quite differently and more long term. Doubling will only increase the side effects that are normal with the medication and it will probably not help you with depression or anxiety. Keep posting and get some aftercare - like an NA meeting or some therapy - just quitting will not do it. Best of luck to you.

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